>> Deborah: YOU PROBABLY ALREADY KNOW THAT IF YOU VISIT A ZOO,
YOU'RE GOING TO SEE ANIMALS, BUT THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO HAS NEW
FEATURES THAT GIVE IT BIG APPEAL FOR LITTLE KIDS, OLDER ADULTS,
AND TWEENS WHO ARE SUPER HARD TO IMPRESS.
COME WITH ME TO THE LARGEST WALKING NATURAL HABITAT ZOO
IN THE WORLD.
♪
>> THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO IS AMAZING.
IT'S BEAUTIFUL, AND IT'S UNLIKE ANY ZOO YOU'VE EVER EXPERIENCED.
IT IS THE WORLD'S LARGEST NATURAL HABITAT ZOO.
AND WHEN YOU HAVE A CHANCE TO COME HERE, YOU CAN SEE ON THE
NORTH AMERICAN SIDE POLAR BEARS AND COUGARS AND GRISLY BEARS AND
OTTERS AND ALL KINDS OF OTHER REALLY FUN,
INCREDIBLE CREATURES.
ON THE AFRICAN SIDE, YOU CAN LOOK OVER BIG VISTAS AND
SEE OUR ELEPHANTS.
YOU CAN SEE OUR RHINOS.
WE HAVE AN AVIARY HERE.
THE AVIARY HERE IS ONE OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL INDOOR AVIARIES
THAT YOU WILL EVER EXPERIENCE.
YOU REALLY FEEL LIKE YOU'VE ENTERED THE TROPICS WHEN YOU
GO IN THERE.
THE BIG PLANTS ARE COVERING OVER THE WALKWAYS.
YOU FEEL LIKE YOU'RE ENTERING IN ALL TO THESE NEAT PLACES.
AND ALL AROUND YOU ARE FREE-FLIGHTED BIRDS.
>> Deborah: VISITORS WITH LITTLE ONES WILL ESPECIALLY ENJOY THE
AFRICA SIDE, WHERE YOU'LL FIND KIDZONE.
>> KIDZONE IS A FABULOUS PLACE WHERE PARENTS CAN ACTUALLY SIT
DOWN, TURN THEIR KIDS LOOSE, AND THEY CAN MAKE MUD PIES, SPLASH
IN THE WATER, GET FACE TO FACE WITH SPECIAL ANIMALS THAT ARE IN
OUR EDUCATION AMBASSADOR PROGRAM.
AND THERE'S LOTS OF SPECIAL PROGRAMS THAT CAN HAPPEN
THERE AS WELL.
>> Deborah: KIDZONE RESULTED FROM ZOO STAFFERS ASKING
THEMSELVES HOW CAN WE ENHANCE THIS EXPERIENCE FOR ALL
OF OUR VISITORS?
AND IT WAS THIS KIND OF THINKING THAT BROUGHT ABOUT ANOTHER
RECENT ATTRACTION.
>> THIS IS THE AIR HIKE.
THIS IS OUR NEW ROPES COURSE AT THE NC ZOO.
IT TESTS PEOPLE'S LIMITS, PUSHES THEM, TESTS THEIR
FEAR OF HEIGHTS.
THERE'S SOME CHALLENGING, UNCHALLENGING EVENTS UP HERE.
WE'VE GOT OUR PLANK WALK RIGHT UP HERE.
WE HAVE OUR COMMANDO CRAWL, MONKEY FIST.
WE'VE GOT A SURFBOARD THAT GOES UP IN THE AIR.
WE'VE GOT OUR SLIDE TO NOWHERE, AND WE HAVE OUR ZIPLINE.
>> Deborah: WHEN YOU COME OUT TO THE NORTH CAROLINA ZOO, EXPECT
TO DO SOME WALKING.
THEY SAY IF YOU DECIDED TO COVER THE ENTIRE ZOO AND ALL THE
EXHIBITS IN A DAY, YOU'D PROBABLY WALK ABOUT FIVE MILES.
YOU'VE GOT NORTH AMERICA, WHERE KIDZONE IS, YOU'VE GOT AFRICA,
WITH LOTS OF GREAT ANIMAL EXHIBITS, AND SMACK DAB IN THE
MIDDLE IS JUNCTION PLAZA.
THAT'S WHERE YOU'RE GOING TO FIND YOUR AIR HIKE, A 4-D
THEATER, THE CAROUSEL, PLUS TICKETS TO GET ON THE
BRAND-NEW ZOOFARI.
♪
>> WE WANTED TO TAKE OUR GUESTS INTO THE WORLD THAT WE, AS
STAFF, GET TO EXPERIENCE.
SO WE CREATED ZOOFARI WHERE WE ACTUALLY PUT YOU ON A ZOOFARI
BUS AND LITERALLY TAKE YOU OUT AMONG THE ANIMALS IN THE
AFRICA PLAINS EXHIBIT.
WE AREN'T PUTTING YOU ON A NORMAL RIDE WHERE THE ANIMALS
ARE TUCKED AWAY IN OTHER PLACES.
YOU'RE GOING RIGHT IN AMONG THEM.
IT HAS 90 ANTELOPE, SOME WHITE RHINOS AND SOME BIRDS ON IT.
SO RIGHT HERE WE HAVE TWO OF OUR GAZELLE SPECIES.
AND THIS IS GREAT THAT THEY'RE SIDE BY SIDE.
MOST OF OUR MALES ARE YOUNG RIGHT NOW, SO THEY'RE VERY
PLAYFUL, ESPECIALLY WITH THIS GREAT WEATHER HERE TODAY WHERE
THE COLD FRONT'S COMING THROUGH.
THEY'RE FEELING FRISKY.
IT'S ABOUT 45 TO 50 MINUTES ON THE BUS WHEN YOU'RE RIDING.
YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO SEE ALL OF OUR ANTELOPE, OUR RHINOS,
OUR OSTRICH.
HOPEFULLY, YOU'RE GOING TO GET TO SEE THEM UP AND INTERACTING
WITH EACH OTHER.
I THINK THE VISITORS ENJOY IT QUITE A BIT.
WE'VE BEEN TRYING FOR A LONG TIME TO FIND A WAY TO GET THESE
ANIMALS CLOSER TO THE PUBLIC.
SO THIS IS EASIER TO BRING THE PUBLIC CLOSER TO THEM.
>> Deborah: AND BRINGING THE PUBLIC CLOSER IS JUST ONE OF THE
ZOO'S CORE VALUES THAT MAKES IT NOT ONLY AN ENTERTAINMENT
DESTINATION BUT A POWERFUL PARTNER IN ANIMAL
CONSERVATION WORLDWIDE.
>> NORTH CAROLINA ZOO HAS GOT PRINCIPAL CORE VALUES --
EDUCATION, GUEST EXPERIENCE, AND CONSERVATION IS ANOTHER
MAJOR CORE VALUE.
WE HAVE CONSERVATION STAFF THAT'S DOING RESEARCH.
THEY'RE ACTUALLY OVER IN AFRICA.
THEY'RE WORKING GLOBALLY WITH PARTNERS TO SAVE ANIMALS
FROM EXTINCTION.
WE'RE ALSO WORKING HERE LOCALLY.
>> Deborah: SO COME ON TO ASHEBORO AND GO WILD AT THE
NORTH CAROLINA ZOO.
FOR "NORTH CAROLINA WEEKEND," I'M DEBORAH HOLT NOEL.